Document PCT/CH2011/000280, which was not previously published, illustrates and describes an embodiment of a detachably installed compaction module for the fiber material that is output by a drafting unit (e.g., a twin drafting system) of a spinning machine (e.g., a ring spinning machine). In this case, the compaction module comprises a carrier on which rotatably mounted suction drums are attached. Suction inserts are provided inside the suction drums and are connected to a suction channel, which is installed inside the carrier. At the free of the carrier, at which the suction channel also terminates, the carrier is provided with a U-shaped end piece via which the carrier is slid onto a suction tube. In so doing, the outlet opening of the suction channel comes into overlap with an opening in the suction tube, thereby establishing a connection between the suction inserts and a vacuum source, which is connected to the suction tube. The dimensions of the U-shaped end piece of the carrier and of the outer diameter of the suction tube are selected such that the carrier is held on the suction tube by means of the clamping effect between the end piece and the suction tube, and a pivot movement of the carrier and therefore of the compaction module in the circumferential direction of the suction tube is made possible. By means of this pivot movement, the compaction module is pivoted from a working position into an idle position and, conversely, from an operating position into an idle position.
The disadvantage of the known embodiment is that an additional extraction tube must be installed. A further difficulty is that of quickly and exactly positioning the carrier on the suction tube in order to ensure that the opening of the suction channel comes into alignment with the corresponding opening on the suction tube. Additional guides may need to be installed on the suction tube for this purpose. Special sealing elements need to be installed in order to sufficiently seal off the suction channel and the inner region of the suction tube in the region of the coupling point from the surroundings.